1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention is generally related to photoaltering materials and more particularly, to systems and methods for scanning pulsed laser beams.
2. Background
Pulsed laser beams include bursts or pulses of light, as implied by name, and have been used for photoalteration of materials, both inorganic and organic alike. Typically, a pulsed laser beam is focused onto a desired area of the material to photoalter the material in this area and, in some instances, the associated peripheral area. Examples of photoalteration of the material include, but are not necessarily limited to, chemical and physical alterations, chemical and physical breakdown, disintegration, ablation, vaporization, or the like.
One example of photoalteration using pulsed laser beams is the photodisruption (e.g., via laser induced optical breakdown) of a material. Localized photodisruptions can be placed at or below the surface of the material to produce high-precision material processing. For example, a micro-optics scanning system may be used to scan the pulsed laser beams to produce an incision in the material and create a flap therefrom. The term “scan” or “scanning” refers to the movement of the focal point of the pulsed laser beam along a desired path or in a desired pattern. To create a flap of the material, the pulsed laser beam is typically scanned along a region within the material at a pre-determined scan rate and with a pre-determined focal spot size.
For many applications, minimizing the scan time associated with photoalteration is generally desirable to expedite the overall procedure time. The repetition rate of the laser may be increased to generally decrease the scan time (e.g., for forming an incision in the material). In some laser systems, the repetition rate is typically limited by operating constraints of the amplifier or other components of the system. A simple increase in repetition rate may also affect other characteristics of the pulsed laser beam. For example, the pulse wavelength, the pulse duration, and the pulse intensity are inter-related. More specifically, the pulse intensity is proportional to the pulse energy and inversely proportional to the pulse duration, and the pulse energy is inversely proportional to the pulse wavelength.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method for photoaltering a material that increases the effective repetition rate of the pulsed laser beam. It is also desirable to provide a system and method for photoaltering a material with a pulsed laser beam that improves dissection quality and while reducing scanning speed associated with the photoalteration. Additionally, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.